Improvement in whiffletrees



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT J. ,SPRAGUIL OF BINGHAMTON, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT INV WHIFFLETREES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 140,170, dated June 24,1873; application iled March 10, 1873.

`of a simple device that may be readily at-y tached and detached, anddepended upon when 1n use.

v Figure 1 in the accompanying drawing is a double-tree embodying myinvention, showing the hooks in position for use. Fig. 2 is an elevationof the back of the same, showing the hooks in position for thedetachment of the whifiletree. Fig. 3 is the hook detached from theyoke. Fig. 4 is avertical section taken on the line a' 1 Fig. 1.

A is the yoke. 'lhat part which is attached to the end of the doubletreemay be made in any of the usual forms. The outer end has a horizontalslot, a, with semicircular lips b b.` The front part of the upper lip isprovided. with a ilange or guard, c, which protects the whiflletree fromdetachment when in use. B is the hook, the pivoted end of which works inthe slot a.. The hole for the pivot is made back from the center of thesemicircular lips b to allow the point of the hook to work eccentricallywith the said semicircular lip, so that the throw of the point of thehook shall be sufficient to admit of the attachment and detachment ofthe whiffietree, andto close on the guard c when in'use.

The whifietree is attached by moving back the hook B for the receptionof the ring, when it is moved to its position in front of the guard c,which effectually prevents it from det-ach ment while the vehicle is inmotionA I do not claim, broadly, pivoting the hooks B to the evener sothat they shall vibrate in the same horizontal plane, as that is an oldfeature; but I do not know of any construction in which the pivot iseccentric to the curved end of the double-tree, and this is believed tobe a decided improvement, as it brings the point of the hook so close tothe front face or edge of the evener, when the parts are in ,a workingposition, as in Figs. l and 4, that the whiiiietree cannot be readilydetached; but when the hook is in the position shown in Fig. 2 thewhiftletree can be connected or disconnected without diiiculty.

So, also, I regard the fender or guard c as being important, whether thehook be pivoted eccentrically or not, because when the parts are insubstantially the position shown in Fig. 2 the staple or eye of thewhiftletree can be easily passed over the hook, the upper surface of theyoke A being below the point of the hook, but when the hook is swungaround into working position, as at Figs. 1 and 4, the guard projectsabove the point of the hook, and thus eiectually prevents the escape ofthe whifiietree, as will be understood without further explanation.

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination with the evener having itsend rounded, the hook B pivoted eccentrically to the rounded end so thatwhen the parts are in a working position the point ot' the hook shall benearer the edge of the evener than when the hook is swung outward toreceive the whiftletree, substantially as set forth.

2. In combination with the evener and the pivoted hook B the. guard c,arranged tooperate substantially as set forth.

ALBERT J. SPRAGUE.

Witnesses:

GEO. M. Rions, J. C. ROBIE.

